Bathroom / Shower questions / timescales

[MattWeth]

Hi All,
Just looking for a couple of pointers with regards to a coupe of technical issues / timings.

In a couple of months time I'll be starting up on my own and in the last month of my redundancy I'll be using up some of my owed holidays doing a couple of jobs for my sister in law (and going out on jobs with two heating engineer mates). These will be be 'free labour' as she's recently divorced and broke and I'm going to use it to help get my head back round being self employed again, help me sort out job timing / pricing and re-remember some rusty hands-on skills and work out a few wrinkles in a 'friendly' environment

In case anyone's interested, I've got Water Regs and Unvented Systems, about 20 years office based HVAC / building services design experience and a few years part time heating engineering / plumbing experience.

The house I'll be working on is a 7 year old newbuild - fairly typical thrown together thing that feels like it would blow away in a decent wind - all cheap materials and pushfit inside it.

Job 1
This job is fitting of an over-bath shower into the existing main bathroom. Should be pretty straightforward (famous last words!).
Rough requirements are:
Remove existing one tile high splashback round bath.
Tile end and side wall adjacent to bath to ceiling height.
Fit / plumb new bar mixer shower.
Fit glass bath screen.
Replace existing water damaged (swollen edge) MDF bath panel (who would fit an MDF bath panel?!)

My concern with this 'job' is that the existing bathroom walls are 'bathroom emulsioned' plasterboard and I doubt tiles will stick with any security to it - my gut feeling is to overline the existing walls I'll be tiling with aquapanel screwed through to the existing studs and tile onto that. It'll mean pulling the bath 1/2" or so to compensate but I think it'll be a more dependable job. Does this sound reasonable or am I being over cautious and should I just rough up the existing plasterboard, seal it and tile?

My ball park timing for this is two days assuming no problems. Does this sound about right?

Job 2
This job is to refurb the existing master bedroom en-suite.
Rough requirements are:
Rip out existing shower tray and screen (existing electric shower to be retained)
Rip out existing vanity unit and basin (existing WC to be retained)
Remove existing shower cubicle tiling
Redo shower cubicle tiling
Fit new shower tray and screen / replumb waste
Fit / plumb new vanity unit / basin
Hopefully the existing flooring will be retained but may need re-tiling depending on how the new fittings work out.

The potential niggle with this one is that I've no idea what the builders used behind the existing shower tiling - I may end up having to do the same aquaboard thing although in this case I'd just remove the existing dry lining and aquaboard direct to the studs.

My ball park timing for this is 4 / 5 days - does this sound about right?


Any comments / advice most welcome.

cheers
Matt

 

[tipintim]

2 weeks

 

[gravytrain]

assuming you are doing the tiling as well i would say first job double your time estimate
second job more like 5-7 days

dont bother with aquapanel its too expensive. if youve got plasterbord onto studs
then rip off old plasterboard and replace with moisture resistant plasterboard (the green stuff)

new board will make tiling much easier

personally i wouldnt overline with new board, either replace the board or just tile over the paint
you can tape test the paint. stick bits of gaffa on to sections of the wall, wait 15 mins then pull tape off
if paint comes off you cant tile onto it, if it stays on, you can.


in the ensuite you can just remove the old plasterboard and tiles in one go, then chuck it in your skip
for the bar shower get a quick fixing kit - plumb centre do one for £20. they make life much easier

then use BAL white star - or equivalent and BAL antimicrobial waterproof grout - or equivalent
you wont have any problems. to be super sure you can prime with SBR

dont forget to use decent silicone as well. Dow corning 785 or silmilar

when you do the ensuite cubicle, site the tray to the required height for the waste
then get your tiles and mark up from the tray the level of the first grout line.
remove the tray then put a batton on the wall at the height youve just marked, making sure its level all round of course
you can then tile up from the batton and stand in the cubicle without damaging the tray
when tiling is complete put tray back in and do last row of tiles down onto tray

 

[MattWeth]

Excellent - thanks guys.

Looks like my timings are well optimistic! And thanks for the tips gravytrain.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

your estimate of time for doing these jobs should has been said at least doubled. it's never as straightforward as you first think.

 

[MattWeth]

your estimate of time for doing these jobs should has been said at least doubled. it's never as straightforward as you first think.

Thanks Steve.

 

[SimonG]

Job 1, I'd be unhappy if it ran into a third day and job 2, I'd want it completed within 5 days. But I do this on a very regular basis.

It's all about your sequence of works. Job 1 seems pretty straightforward and the only concern for me on job 2 would be how the tiles come off. With a new build they'll either drop on your toes as soon as you touch them or will drag the plasterboard off.

 

[MattWeth]

Thanks Simon.

 

[gall.b-tiler]

With regards to the Tiling particularlty job 2, Aquapanel or simmilar woul be recomended in the shower area and all joints tanked or gyprov and tank. Pros dont use tubbed acrylic gear in wet areas better off with a white single part flex from (weber bal or mapei) and a good quality flexible grout.

 

[MattWeth]

Thanks http://www.ukplumbersforums.co.uk/members/gall-b-tiler.htmlgall.b - great to have input from a professional tiler

 

[gall.b-tiler]

No probs Matt, have you seen the tiles? this can determine how long the job will take also, i.e. size of tile, ceramic, porcelain or stone.
Then this should be reflected in your price.

 

[MattWeth]

No probs Matt, have you seen the tiles? this can determine how long the job will take also, i.e. size of tile, ceramic, porcelain or stone.
Then this should be reflected in your price.

She's not chosen the tiles yet but given her financial situation they're unlikely to be anything 'premium' - a fairly large format ceramic I'd have thought. Unfortunately as she's family and I'm doing it as a bit of shakedown before I go it alone, there'll be no labour charge but I'm going to treat it and cost / time it as a proper job.

Which reminds me - I need to blag a trade account with some tile suppliers.

Thanks again for the advice.

 

[gall.b-tiler]

CTD is my supplier of choice, if theres one near you go in have a chat with the branch manager, should sort you out with a healthy discount & give you good advice on material selections etc.

 

[MattWeth]

CTD is my supplier of choice, if theres one near you go in have a chat with the branch manager, should sort you out with a healthy discount & give you good advice on material selections etc.

Thanks. No CTD branches near me but a fair few others - i'll have a trip around them and see what gives.

 

[gall.b-tiler]

Aparently you can get a cracking discount through Tile Giant if your a member of the Tilers forum.

 

[MattWeth]

Aparently you can get a cracking discount through Tile Giant if your a member of the Tilers forum.

Cheers - I'll take a look in the tilers forum.